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Monday, June 21, 2010

So what did we do to celebrate the first day of summer? Well, for one thing - no one in town really believes that summer has arrived. The extended forecast still predicts cold and rain so we're happy to take whatever little bits of sun we can get.

To me - one of the most fun things about a summer in Oregon is that you can go pick berries! Growing up in Texas, I can't say that I ever went berry picking. But it's a really fun thing to do now. We kicked off our berry picking this past weekend with some local strawberries. Next up - blueberries! (We wait with eager anticipation.) If you are in the berry picking mood at any point this summer, I recommend Blackberry Banquet (which is about a crowd of woodland animals who are enjoying their berry feast until a bear rambles up and joins them!) and Jamberry which is a super cute story by Bruce Degen. Here's a picture of the cover art:

This book tells the story of a boy and bear who are out to pick all sorts of yummy berries together.

This is a favorite of both of my kids and it's always a pleasure to read. It has a song-like quality when you read it aloud.

Tip: Visiting friends with small children for the summer? If you are a guest in someone else's home this summer, overnight or for dinner, and you are looking for fun and different hostess gift to offer - check out these two books. Jamberry is a small-sized board book and makes for a great addition to any themed-gift involving berries and jam!More ideas: Stephanie at Stephanie's Mommy Brain has spent some time this week talking about picking berries with her children. She offers 6 Tips for Picking Strawberries With Children if you'd care to check that out.

Back to our day - since it was rather on the dark side, we were unable to go out and play. Instead, I pulled out a tunnel set which we picked up at Costco for a song several years back. I set it up in the bedroom and let the boys play.

That provided a decent amount of entertainment as the toy boys maneuvered in and out of tunnels, chasing each other along. I don't think tunnels really represent tunnels, exactly, but they are quite fun.

During my youngest son's nap time, my eldest and I made "First Day of Summer" cards and wrote letters to various friends and family. I pulled out some stationary and envelopes and selected some summer-themed stickers and let him go to town. My oldest really likes making cards for people and he likes declaring who they are each for. It's kind of fun to sit down and do that with him, and it allows me a chance to catch up on my correspondence at the same time! It's a win-win situation and a fun way to mark the changing of seasons.

(Note: never throw away scraps of paper or little stickers. Stick them in a box and pull them out for your kid to make cards for friends and family. Two birds with one stone kinda deal there.)

Gratefully, after my youngest woke up, the sun had decided to peek out of the clouds. I declared it a good enough time to go out on the deck and eat some popsicles we had made about a week ago (in anticipation of the sun which was supposed to have appeared this past weekend!) That was great fun and they very much enjoyed their popsicles.

Not related to our summer celebration, but definitely a lot of fun, we've had a dog sharing our home with us this past weekend. Our youngest ADORES this little gal and so it's been kind of fun to have a dog sharing our company out of doors and made the day extra special as they got to play with a dog! (That's highly unusual around these parts which made it all the more enjoyable.)

And there you have it! A simple day at home with some fun things to mark the change of season and the beginning of summer!

I'm looking forward to seeing how others decided to celebrate the day and I do hope you will decide to write up a post and share your ideas and fun plans. Visit this post to link up and share your moments with us!

1 comment:

Looks like a fun day!! When I was a kid my grandma had a small strawberry patch near her house. YUM!! She also owned a farm with numerous blackberry thickets (both wild and tame). Every summer we would fight the chiggers and bees to pick giant blackberries. Then she would make them into cobbler and jelly. It was a sad day when the last jar of Grandma's blackberry jelly was opened (she died in '97).

Thanks for the link! It was fun to write about strawberry picking all week. Almost as much fun as eating up the berries we picked! :)

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen" 1 Peter 4:8-11